Meet Marvice Thornton
Appreciates Renton from all angles
Marvice Thornton carries her Renton pride wherever she goes.
The Renton High School graduate now teaches math on that campus. She visits the unique shops downtown, relaxes on the waterfront at Gene Coulon Park, and surprises students as a customer at their fast-food jobs.
“Renton has always been my community. There’s a great mix of everything going on. When my parents came here, they chose correctly,” she said.
She is the oldest of seven kids. Her mother, three sisters and a brother live in Renton too. Two of her sisters work at the Renton School District office.
Marvice has taught in the district for 22 years. She started at Kennydale Elementary School then taught at Dimmitt Middle School. Through a grant program she took classes twice a week to earn her high school teaching credentials and joined the RHS staff in 2012.
Inspired to give back to her alma mater, Marvice is an active member of the RHS community. She keeps statistics for football and boys’ basketball games. Before COVID-19, she chaperoned dances.
“There’s so much richness here. You’re missing out if you don’t take advantage of it.”
During remote learning last year, Marvice taught online from her classroom. The school setting helped her stay focused and positive, despite the unusual times. She was named the district’s 2021 Outstanding Secondary Teacher and is optimistic for the future.
“I hope we’ll have renewed energy and spirit. There’s still some negativity and fatigue hanging over us,” she said. “A year from now, I hope we will have broken through.
“Kids are just having fun being together this year. It helps fill my cup.”
Marvice cares deeply about the Renton community overall. She’s had a Renton address for 34 years and supports local businesses as much as possible.
It’s important to shop local to keep things viable, she said. A community needs the cycle of jobs and businesses—and if a piece is missing, things fall apart.
Marvice encourages people to build relationships with their neighbors and partake in community events.
That includes Renton’s diversity. “Growing up, I took for granted the different faces I saw every day. When I went to Stanford, I got my first awakening of how homogenous the world can be.”
Marvice also is rooted in Renton because the school district supports its teachers, and the area is a great home base for outdoor activities.
“Where else is there a library over a river?” she laughed. “There’s so much richness here. You’re missing out if you don’t take advantage of it.”